A LEARNING DOCUMENT BASED ON CASE STUDIES FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA
This publication builds on a growing stream of work advanced in recent years by the British Council and its partners, alongside ICCROM’s commitment to promoting inclusive and sustainable approaches to heritage. Together, these efforts have strengthened the understanding of how cultural heritage can support more equitable forms of development, grounded in local contexts and shaped by community values and aspirations.
Drawing on case studies from Southeast Asia, this learning document brings together research and field experience to explore how cultural heritage can function as a shared asset. It highlights approaches that foster participation, strengthen local capacities and enable communities to engage with and benefit from and shape the future of their heritage. In this sense, inclusive growth emerges not as a predefined model, but as a process rooted in local realities and driven by those most closely connected to them.
Importantly, this publication does not propose a single model or solution. Rather, it invites reflection, dialogue and adaptation. By sharing lessons learned and approaches tested, it contributes to an evolving body of knowledge that seeks to bridge the gap between theory and practice, supporting practitioners, policymakers and communities in navigating the complexities of heritage-based development.
At a time when the role of culture within sustainable development continues to be debated, this work reaffirms the need to recognize culture as a fundamental dimension — and indeed a driving force — of sustainability. Cultural heritage shapes how communities understand their past, navigate the present and envision their futures. Integrating it more meaningfully into development frameworks is essential to ensuring that progress is not only measurable, but also meaningful, inclusive and enduring.
I would like to acknowledge and commend all those who have contributed to this important work and encourage its wide uptake by those committed to advancing more inclusive and sustainable approaches to heritage and development.
Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral, Director-General of ICCROM